- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternCore
- Reps5 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Lie on your back with one knee bent and one leg straight, hands under the small of your back.
First cueKeep the neck in line with the upper back.
How to do the McGill Curl-Up
Set up. Lie on your back with one knee bent and one leg straight, hands under the small of your back.
- Brace your stomach.
- Lift your head and shoulders a little way off the floor as one unit.
- Hold for a few seconds, then lower.
- Switch the bent leg halfway through.
Form cues
- Keep the neck in line with the upper back.
- The movement is small.
- Keep the hands under the lower back.
Common mistakes
- Tucking the chin to the chest.
- Curling up high like a sit-up.
Muscles worked
Main target: Abs. The rectus abdominis runs down the front of the trunk. It curls the trunk forward and, more often in training, stops the spine arching under a load.
On the way: Obliques.
Its other side: Lower back, in the trunk pattern.
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Machine Crunch
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Crunch.
Other variations of the Crunch: Decline Sit-Up.
Do before it: Dead Bug (bracing).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the McGill Curl-Up is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the McGill Curl-Up?
Set up: Lie on your back with one knee bent and one leg straight, hands under the small of your back. Steps: 1. Brace your stomach. 2. Lift your head and shoulders a little way off the floor as one unit. 3. Hold for a few seconds, then lower. 4. Switch the bent leg halfway through. Form cues: Keep the neck in line with the upper back. The movement is small. Keep the hands under the lower back. Common mistakes: Tucking the chin to the chest. Curling up high like a sit-up.
What muscles does the McGill Curl-Up work?
It trains the abs as its main target and works the obliques on the way.
What can I do instead of the McGill Curl-Up?
In a gym: Machine Crunch. Each trains the same main muscle.